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Where’s the joy in Dec. 26? Everywhere.

You’ve made it — Christmas is nearly over. All the rushing around, insane eating patterns and spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave is grinding to a halt. Which inevitably leads to post-Christmas adrenaline crash. Where’s the joy in Dec.

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Where’s the joy in Dec. 26? Everywhere.

By Jan Peterson, For the News-Leader
Published 11:47 p.m. CT Dec. 23, 2015

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Best Buy workers load a TV during a Black Friday sale in Los Angeles. Many stores? deals were still available Sunday.
Best Buy staff load a television during a Black Friday sale in Los Angeles, California on November 27, 2015. The US holiday shopping season kicks off with "Black Friday" -- the day after the Thanksgiving holiday -- with a frenzy expected at stores around the country as retailers slash prices. AFP PHOTO/ MARK RALSTONMARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images ORG XMIT: 593278905 ORIG FILE ID: 546808475(Photo: News-Leader file photo)Buy Photo

You’ve made it — Christmas is nearly over. All the rushing around, insane eating patterns and spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave is grinding to a halt. Which inevitably leads to post-Christmas adrenaline crash. Where’s the joy in Dec. 26? Everywhere. Embrace the quiet, the lack of precision scheduling and live it up. Here are a few ideas to get started.

1. If you’re a guest, give your host or hostess a break (and by “host or hostess,” we’re probably referring to Mom). Get up early and whip up some breakfast. Keep it simple by dashing out to a bakery or whipping up some French toast or go all in with a country-style breakfast. If you want to swing for the middle, grab some leftover ham from the fridge and try this simple breakfast casserole (Adapted from a Food Network recipe):

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and pepper and sauté over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the hash browns and break apart. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

In a second frying pan, sauté the sausage or bacon until cooked. If you’re using ham, you can skip this step (and this frying pan).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt and pepper briskly to blend.

To assemble, spread the onions and hash browns evenly on the bottom of the greased dish. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. Distribute your protein for the next layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over everything then add your cheese or cheeses.

Bake the casserole, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

2. The last thing you probably really need is retail therapy, but who can deny the allure of the after-Christmas sale? Splurge on something for yourself or return something you don’t absolutely love for something you do. Or, if you’re feeling really charitable, donate those unwanted items to your charity of choice. It’s easy to remember the less fortunate through the holidays, but their needs won’t be any different come January and February when donations plummet.

3. Did you give your folks a tech gift for Christmas? Don’t stop at just hooking it up and showing them how to turn it on. Take some time to help them master that gadget, be it an Apple TV, smart phone or tablet. What may seem obvious to you may not to them. Make sure they really understand how to navigate from Netflix to Hulu and back again, so to speak. You gave them the gadget to make them happy; give them the skills to maximize the happy.

4. Go look at all the pretty lights! The News-Leader has created a nifty map to some of the most spectacular light displays in the area (https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2015/12/03/where-find-21-best-christmas-light-displays-springfield/76448864/). But it seems every neighborhood in Springfield is a bit cheerier this year than in recent years. Maybe it’s a reflection of an improved economy or maybe people are just feeling the spirit a bit more this year. Whatever the reason, take a few minutes to bask in the glow of holiday cheer. Putting up light displays is a lot of work; reward homeowners with a few "ooohs" and "ahhhhs."

5. Go for a hike. Seriously. If research conducted last year by Associated British Foods is correct, the average person consumes about 7,000 calories on Christmas Day. Just Christmas Day. That doesn’t include the feeding frenzy most folks started on Thanksgiving and carried through the party season leading up to Christmas. So yes, Dec. 26 is an excellent day to get moving. The Springfield Nature Center has some excellent trails, but even wandering around your neighborhood is a good start.

6. Everyone set down your screens and organize some face-to-face family time with a decidedly old-school card or board game. Whether it’s Exploding Kittens or Mousetrap, Monopoly or Myth, the interaction is what it’s all about. If you don’t have any games on hand, download Cards Against Humanity for free at cardsagainsthumanity.com. It’s hilarious, but be forewarned: There’s a reason they call it “a party game for horrible people.”

7. Family time fail? Well, that happens. There can be such a thing as too much togetherness. If the old family stories have worn thin or the sound of your cousin’s laugh is about the slice through your last nerve, go ahead and return to your screen. It’s more noble than screaming. Just start texting buddies about their New Year’s Eve plans. (And yes, you can be certain we’ll have a slew of ideas for you next week. Stay tuned …)